Kodai Sano

Kodai Sano (佐野 皓大)

• Bats Right Throws Right
• Height 6' 0", Weight 150 lb.

• High School Oita High School

• Born September 2, 1996 in Saiki, Oita Japan

BR register page

Biographical Information

Kodai Sano has played in Nippon Pro Baseball.

Sano was drafted by the Orix Buffaloes in the 3rd round of the 2014 NPB draft as a pitcher; the scout was Kazuo Yamaguchi. He didn't reach the big club in his first three seasons, and he was turned into an outfielder in 2018. He only played one game for the big club that season, and he hit .207/.244/.289 with 12 steals in 2019. Sano also played for the Melbourne Aces in 2018-2019 ABL, and he hit .260/.289/.342 with 3 doubles. He collected 20 steals with a .214/.262/.293 batting line in 2020, and he was 5th in the Pacific League in steals (between Shuta Tonosaki and Takashi Ogino).

The Oita native struggled at the plate again in 2021 as he only hit .146/.167/.232 in 67 games, and he appeared in 4 games in the 2021 Nippon Series; the Buffaloes lost to the Yakult Swallows in 6 games. He then hit .224/.252/.336 in 78 games in 2022, and he was 1-for-5 with a steal in the 2022 Nippon Series. The Buffaloes beat the Swallows this time in 7 games. Sano was 6-for-36 in 2023, and he only got 2 at-bats for the big club in 2024 because of a right foot injury.

Sources

• Wiki Japan